Edward Willett - Shapers of Worlds Volume II

Edward Willett - Shapers of Worlds Volume II

Author: Alan Warren December 28, 2022 Duration: 47:35

Explore twenty-four imaginative tales crafted by some of today’s best writers of science fiction and fantasy, all guests on Aurora Award-winning podcast The Worldshapers during its second year, including international bestsellers and winners of every major award in the field as well as newer authors just beginning what promise to be stellar careers.


There are brand-new stories from Kelley Armstrong, Marie Brennan, Garth Nix, Candas Jane Dorsey, Jeremy Szal, Edward Willett, Bryan Thomas Schmidt, Lisa Foiles, Susan Forest, Matthew Hughes, Heli Kennedy, Helen Dale, Adria Laycraft, Edward Savio, Lisa Kessler, Ira Nayman, James Alan Gardner, and Tim Pratt, plus fiction by Jeffrey A. Carver, David D. Levine, Carrie Vaughn, Nancy Kress, Barbara Hambly, and S.M. Stirling.


A woman seeking the power to see the evil hiding within others regrets receiving it. Letters written by a wizard in the past threaten a queen’s reign in the present. Competing for Earth, a human wrestler faces an alien shapeshifter in an interstellar tournament. A guide in Tibet must weigh the good of his people when asked to lead a westerner to the fabled realm of Shangri. An activist imprisoned for illegal genetic modification works with the materials at hand and the threads of the multiverse to make the world—a world, at least—a better place. A demonic agent sent to help a human turns the tables on his summoner.


Like the “cabinets of curiosities” created by collectors of the sixteenth century, Shapers of Worlds Volume II displays a varied array of thought-provoking delights: tales of humour and sorrow, darkness and light, and hope and despair that are full of adventure, full of life, and sometimes full of regret. There are stories set in alternate histories, in possible futures, near and far, and in the here-and-now, taking place on Earth, on distant planets, or in fantastic realms. All arise from the innate need of human beings to create, to imagine . . . to shape worlds.


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For over a decade, the House of Mystery radio show opened a door into the minds of the most imaginative authors in literature. What If? Science Fiction/ Fantasy Writers curates the very best of those conversations, hosted by Alan Warren. This isn't just a series of interviews; it's a deep exploration of the creative sparks behind otherworldly civilizations, magical systems, and the fundamental questions that define speculative fiction. Each episode lets you sit in on a genuine discussion, hearing directly from writers about how they build their universes, develop characters who feel real against impossible backdrops, and where they find their most extraordinary ideas. You'll get a sense of the person behind the pages, their influences, and the sometimes surprising paths that led them to craft the stories that shape our dreams of the future and reimaginings of the past. Tune into this podcast for a thoughtful and engaging archive that celebrates the arts of science fiction and fantasy writing, offering listeners a lasting connection to the voices that continue to push the boundaries of fiction and science.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

What If?  Science Fiction/ Fantasy Writers
Podcast Episodes
Mercedes Lackey - Briarheart [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:53
From beloved fantasy author Mercedes Lackey comes a fresh and feminist reinterpretation of Sleeping Beauty. Miriam may be the daughter of Queen Alethia of Tirendell, but she's not a princess. She's the child of Alethia a…
Michael Landweber - The Damage Done [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:38
Violence is a thing of the past—but do new horrors lie in wait? Imagine a world devoid of violence—a world where fists can’t hit, guns don’t kill, and bombs can’t destroy. In this tantalizing novel of possibility, this h…
Mark Leslie - Fright Nights, Big City [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:09
Not when the Big Apple comes under attack from an infectious worm threatening to rot it, and the entire nation, to the core.Michael Andrews thought he'd found the perfect woman. A companion whose own powers neutralize hi…
Mark Everglade - Inertia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:43
Gliese 581g is the last remaining colony of the human race, located twenty light years from Earth. The planet was once tidal locked to its sun, with one side draped in darkness and the other half always bright. This chan…
Richard H. Stephens - Keeper of the Jewel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:11
“It’s time to bestow your sword with a magic befitting a future queen. A queen who will walk the winds of fate on the back of dragonkind.”~Eolande, Crystal Cavern CaretakerSomething evil lurks beneath the palace.A phanta…
W.L. Hawkin - To Step with Stones [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:29
"The whole narrative plays out like an HBO show waiting to be developed, combining elements of LGBTQ+ and adult storytelling into a complex character study of those who seek the answers hidden within the most complex sys…
Anna J. Walner - Book Two The Uluru Legacy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:54
The thrilling continuation of the Uluru Legacy Series.While some questions will be answered, more will be raised. As new truths come to light, and new evils make themselves known, not everyone will survive.The vision for…
Kathrin Hutson - Demon's Trade [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:29
As a tracker of curse magic, dark artifacts, and forbidden netherwork, Kali Sullivan is one of a kind, and not just as a bounty hunter. They think she’s a demon. What they don’t know can definitely kill them—and worse.It…
Jonathan Brooks - Core Establishment [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:29
Milton Frederick never had the chance to live out his life as a professional gamer on Earth, mainly because he was abducted by aliens. Unfortunately, he wasn’t returned home after the typical probing associated with such…
Gareth Powell - Stars and Bones [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:13
Seventy-five years from today, the human race has been cast from a dying Earth to wander the stars in a vast fleet of arks—each shaped by its inhabitants into a diverse and fascinating new environment, with its own rules…